Garry Haylock’s return to the Hayes & Yeading dugout finally saw United take something from Gosport Borough having lost each of the previous four encounters between the two sides.
The game started at quite a sharp pace in the Berkshire sun with Justin Bennett firing wide from a corner after just three minutes before United’s Elliot Benyon chased down a pass into the left channel, beat TJ Cuthbertson to the ball and advanced into the box, trying his luck from a tight angle only for Gosport skipper and ‘keeper Nathan Ashmore to push his effort away.
United stopper Dan Lincoln was also quickly into the action as Bennett collected a through ball from Rory Williams and hit a shot from 18 yards that the former Reading ‘keeper did well to push wide of the post. United went even closer around the midway point in the half as Benyon turned his marker in the box and fired low, Ashmore making an excellent save by pushing the ball from ground level up on to the crossbar and over the top.
Josh Scott saw his header from a Max Worsfold centre go too high and then a free-kick from the right corner of the box by Worsfold was taken quickly and had Ashmore scrambling only to go the wrong side of the upright.
A fifteen minute delay to the commencement of the second half occurred due to an injury to referee Elliott Kaye as a replacement assistant was scouted out which enabled senior assistant Dele Sotimirin to take over with the whistle.
Ten minutes after the re-start Gosport’s Lee Wort twice found himself in good positions but failed to test Lincoln. His first chance saw him edge past Devante McKain only to fire wide, and then within a minute he was found in space and advanced to the edge of the United area before blazing his shot high and wide of the target.
Wort was then to create another good opening, driving into the box on the right before drilling the ball across the face of the six yard box where Bennett threw himself at the on-coming ball but sliced his effort wide of the target. Before at the other end good hold up play on the right by Scott set up a shooting chance for Luke Williams, his effort being deflected wide by a defensive interception.
Minutes later United thought they had unzipped the visitors defence. Worsfold advanced drove forwards from his own half and found Scott, he pulled the ball back to strike partner Benyon who saw his goalbound first time shot from eight yards blocked by a sliding Williams inside the six yard box with United’s vociferous appeals for handball by the blocker waved away.
Dan Wooden for Borough and the hard working Mason Spence for United tried and failed to hit the target as the game wore on and then the visitors twice went close to spoiling Garry’s return in the last few minutes as Lewis Ferrell was needed to clear an Elliot Wheeler shot off the line before a header from George Baker’s corner by Bennett beat Lincoln’s dive but came back off the post and was cleared away.
Garry Haylock’s return to the Hayes & Yeading dugout finally saw United take something from Gosport Borough having lost each of the previous four encounters between the two sides.
